Method of making embossing dies



Feb. 4, 1936. w 3 HQUGH 2,029,567

METHOD OF MAKING EMBOSSING DIES Filed NOV. 15, 1934 M4. 8. HOUGH Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to methods of making embossing dies, and among other objects, aims to provide an improved method of producing inexpensively embossing dies, which are used particularly for embossing the faces of signs.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a plate as it would appear after the first step of the process;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the male die formed as a result of the improved process;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the female die;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-section showing the two dies with a plate between them prior to the embossing operation; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section showing the two dies brought together in the embossing operation.

There has been a considerable demand for the inexpensive production of dies for the making of embossed signs in small quantities. The methods heretofore in use for making embossing dies have been prohibitively expensive as the cost of the dies is included in the selling price of small lots of signs. By the present method, embossing dies are provided at approximately half the cost of such dies as made by known methods.

Referring particularly to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a plate II! which is preferably of metal but which may be of almost any rigid material. In the plate I0, I cut a series of slots, II, I2, I3, I4 which together outline a letter, symbol or numeral which is to form a part of the die. The said slots are cut entirely through the plate ID by means of a special machine known as a nibbling punch, which enables an operator to cut a slot as Wide as one-fourth inch or even wider, into a steel plate. In the accompanying drawing, a single letter, namely the letter G, is shown outline-d in Fig. 1, but in the making of any sign there will be a number of such letters, also numerals and symbols, as will be understood. The principle of the invention will be readily comprehended by an explanation of the formation of dies for the embossing of a single letter. As shown, the said slots are not continuous, that is to say, small portions of the metal of the plate II] are uncut by the slots, as indicated at I5. When the letter has been outlined, it will have the appearance of a stencil letter, as will be clear from Fig. 1.

The plate III is to form part of the female die and is placed against another plate I6, which will form part of the male die. The two plates are secured together temporarily as by clamps, so that relative movement is impossible, and then the die-maker runs a crayon or other marking instrumentality through the several slots, II, I2, I3, I4 so as to make a marked outline on plate I6 of the letter partly cut out of the plate Ill. The two plates are then separated and the die-maker then completes cutting through the metal at the points I5, thereby completely removing the letter, numeral or symbol from the die plate I0. Said plate may then be reinforced by a backing plate II, which may be riveted or welded thereto. The letter I8, formed as described, is then carefully placed upon the plate I6 so as to be wholly within the marked outline made in the manner previously stated, and it is then clamped and permanently secured to the plate I6 as by rivets or welding. Thus the male die is formed as will be understood from Fig. 2.

When dies have been completed, they are placed in the usual machine and the sign plate I9, which is to be embossed, is inserted between the two faces of the dies, as shown in Fig. 4; then the dies are brought together as shown in Fig. 5. It will be clear that the width of the slots II, I2, I3, I4 determines the distance between the edges of the co-operating parts, I8, 20, of the male and female dies.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that the described method of making embossing dies is relatively inexpensive, since the active part of the male die is removed from the female die and no additional labor is necessary for the forming of the same. Economy in metal costs is also realized and the entire operation is very simple and inexpensive and yet entirely satisfactory for the forming of embossing dies adapted to fill orders in small quantities.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the details of construction shown in the drawing; furthermore the steps of the described method may be varied slightly, and. some may be omitted.

Having described a preferred method within the scope of the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The method of making embossing dies which comprises the following steps: first outlining a letter, numeral or symbol in a rigid plate by cutting a plurality of narrow slots which are discontinuous so that the outlined letter, number or symbol remains in the plate; then superimposing said plate upon another plate and. while said plates are held relatively motionless, marking upon the second plate by a marking instrumentality thrust through said slots so as to obtain an outline on the second plate of the letter, number or symbol outlined on the first plate; then completing the cutting of the outlined letter, number or symbol, placing it on the second plate within the aforesaid marked outline, and securing it rigidly in the position defined by said markings.

WILLIAM S. HOUGH. 

